Table of Contents
Introduction
Binge eating disorder (BED) is a form of feeding and eating disorder that is now officially recognized. It affects around 2% of the world’s population and can lead to other health problems associated with diets, such as high cholesterol and diabetes. Find here – A Binge Eating Disorder: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment Plans.
Feeding and eating disorders are classified as mental diseases because they are not only related to food. People usually develop them as a coping mechanism for a more profound issue or a psychological ailment like worry or depression.
The symptoms, causes, and health risks of binge eating are discussed in this article and how to receive help and support to overcome it. Of course, if you want a more professional guide, you can always consult the professional at Ocean Recovery drug rehab center.
What Is A Binge Eating Disorder?
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) has been considered a disordered eating habit since the 1950s. Still, it was not officially recognized as a separate diagnostic until the 5th Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders was published in 2013.
Nonetheless, this is not a reliable measure of the severity or incidence of BED in the past.
Because BED is the most frequent eating disorder in the United States, it’s critical to be aware of the signs, symptoms, and treatment options.
BED is defined as a pattern of uncontrollable eating of substantial amounts of food quickly. Feelings of guilt, shame, and psychological suffering accompany these events.
Causes
- BED patients may have heightened sensitivity to dopamine that causes emotions of pleasure and reward. There is also substantial evidence that the condition is passed down through the generations.
- Women are more likely than males to have BED. In the United States, 3.6% of women and 2.0% of men develop BED at some point in their life. This may be related to underlying biological causes.
- There are signs that persons with BED may have structural alterations in their brains that cause a stronger reaction to food and less self-control.
- Obesity affects over half of those with BED, and 25–50% of patients seeking weight loss surgery match the BED criteria. Weight issues can be both a cause and a symptom of a disorder.
- People who suffer from BED frequently have a negative perception of themselves. Body dissatisfaction, dieting, and overeating all play a role in the disorder’s progression. Abuse, mortality, being separated from a family member, or being in a car accident are all probable risk factors of this disease.
Symptoms
Even if they aren’t hungry, people with BED may consume a large amount of food in a short period. Emotional stress or destress frequently plays a role in binge eating. If people try yoga, they may overcome anxiety easily, but instead, they indulge in binge eating, which is an unhealthy habit.
Three or more of the following symptoms must be present in an individual for a healthcare provider to diagnose BED. The symptoms are:
- Eating at a considerably faster rate than usual.
- Eating till you’re stuffed to the gills.
- Consuming a huge amount of food without feeling hungry.
- Eating alone because of humiliation and shame.
- Feelings of remorse or disdain towards oneself.
- People with BED frequently experience great dissatisfaction and distress due to their overeating.
Treatment Plans
The course of treatment for BED is determined by the reasons and severity of the eating disorder and the patient’s personal goals. Interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, weight reduction therapy dialectical behavior therapy, are all treatment alternatives for this disease. These can be done one-on-one or in a group setting.
Let’s take a look:
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) examines the connections between negative thoughts, feelings, and actions connected to food, body shape, and weight. Once the origins of unpleasant feelings and patterns are understood, solutions to assist people in modifying them can be established.
Setting objectives, self-monitoring, attaining regular meal patterns, changing beliefs about self and weight, and fostering healthy weight-control habits are all examples of specific interventions. CBT is the most effective BED treatment. According to one study, 79%of patients were no longer binge eating after 20 sessions of CBT, and 59% remained successful after a year.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Binge eating is a coping technique for unresolved emotional difficulties such as loss, relational disputes, significant life transitions, or underlying social problems, according to interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). Over 12–16 weeks, the goal is to discover the exact problem linked to the problematic eating pattern, address it, and then make positive changes.
Therapy can occur in a group setting or one-on-one with a qualified therapist, and it is frequently paired with CBT. There is considerable evidence that this therapy reduces BED in the long term. Moreover, it is the only treatment with comparable long-term results as CBT.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Binge eating is viewed as an emotional reaction to unfavorable situations that the person has no other means of coping with, according to dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). It teaches people how to control their emotional responses to deal with stressful events in their daily lives without bingeing.
Mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness are the four main treatment areas of DBT. According to a study of 44 women with BED who received DBT, 89% of them ceased binge eating by the conclusion of therapy, albeit this number declined to 56% at the 6-month follow-up.
Weight Loss Therapy
Weight loss therapy seeks to help people lose weight, which can help them stop binge eating by enhancing their self-esteem and body image. The goal is to implement a healthy lifestyle gradually in terms of exercise and track food-related thoughts throughout the day.
While weight loss therapy has been found to improve body image and reduce weight and the health risks associated with obesity, it is not as effective as IPT or CBT. It has been found to help people lose weight in a short-term, moderate way.
Putting It All Together
During a binge eating session, an individual may feel relieved but afterward, he is ashamed to lose control. It is a clear indication of mental health disorder, so these therapy sessions are adequate to prevent BED.
If you want to know more about this disease and its treatment options, let us know in the comment box. We will get back to you with an answer in no time.
See also – Quick and Effective Home Treatments